Joel Embiid’s Health Has LeBron James Worried About Joining the 76ers

Almost every day, new updates point to where LeBron James might be headed. Despite that, the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Golden State Warriors, and the Philadelphia 76ers remain the top three teams in the race to sign him.

His hometown team was initially poised to lead the pack, but then was rumored to have dropped down the ladder. Then, head coach Kenny Atkinson‘s words during interviews brought them back into the fold.

After news of the Wizards having no interest in trading Anthony Davis came through, the Warriors seemingly fell out of the mix. But then, they have now emerged as favorites after Stephen Curry and Draymond Green‘s recent comments.

In the midst of this, the 76ers seemed to be the team where everyone was on the same page. Recruiting pitches from Bob Myers, Jaylen Brown, and the franchise itself suggested that James might be inclined to sign there.

Some, such as Sixers legend Charles Barkley, did not appreciate it. He felt this was a blatant attempt at ring-chasing. Despite that, rumors continued to link the four-time champion to his team.

Sources reveal that on the Embiid side, James harbors deep concerns regarding Embiid’s long-term health and declining mobility for an arduous championship run.

Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson revealed

The insider remarked in his article that James and Joel Embiid have mutual respect, having battled and played together over the years in various environments.

But LeBron James is acutely aware of the center’s struggles to stay healthy. Based on that knowledge, Brandon Robinson even heard talks of a possible trade away for Embiid, which could alleviate the 41-year-old’s fears.

LeBron James might struggle alongside Joel Embiid

Other than the health concerns, Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson also revealed something else that has been talked about in and around the 76ers.

While LeBron has seriously considered Philadelphia, the fit alongside Embiid remains a massive, unresolved concern. In fact, whispers out of Philly indicate that if the 76ers want to secure LeBron, the pairing with Embiid is a non-starter; the preference would be to avoid playing them together entirely.

Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson revealed

Basketball fans might be put off by this concern, especially when the entire world saw LeBron James and Joel Embiid play together and win Team USA a gold medal.

However, while Jaylen Brown, Tyrese Maxey, and VJ Edgecombe can avoid overlapping with the oldest player in the league’s skill set, the center clogging the paint will probably lead to legitimate problems.

If the franchise is thinking of not playing Embiid and James together at the same time, then either of them might have to sacrifice starter minutes. As much as the prospect of playing together might be, the egos of both those players will not allow them to accept a lesser role.

Sixers still want LeBron James

While these worries are still under the ‘rumor’ tag, every opportunity someone from the Philadelphia 76ers gets a chance to talk about LeBron James, they throw another recruiting pitch in his direction.

If he decides to come here, we’re going to be even better… LeBron and his camp have kept quiet, and there has been speculation for different teams. But we’d obviously love to have him. I respect the heck out of him. In my opinion, he’s the best player of all time.

GM Mike Gansey told the Athletic

The GM has a history of the good kind with the Akron native and was touted as one of the reasons James would even consider the Sixers.

76ers president of basketball operations Mike Gansey remains interested in adding LeBron James.

“If he decides to come here, we’re going to be even better,” he told @tjonesonthenba.https://t.co/t0F3R0I7ds pic.twitter.com/qZfP6dpKIR

— The Athletic NBA (@TheAthleticNBA) July 14, 2026

But his response to The Athletic suggests he is unsure what his former high school opponent will do. However, since James and his camp are still going over every option, Gansey decided to do his part publicly.

Also Read:

• Draymond Green Cites LeBron James–Stephen A. Smith Clash to Expose ESPN Analyst’s Hypocrisy
• Tyler Herro’s ‘Cocky’ Reputation Comes Under Scrutiny in New NBA Report